Tower, ceiling and cimborio of the Cathedral of Santa María de Mediavilla, Teruel

The tower, ceiling and cimborio of the Cathedral of Teruel are some of the most outstanding representative examples of Mudéjar architecture of Aragón, which was declared World Heritage by Unesco. Mudéjar sytle is a type of architecture created by Muslims living in Spain under Christian rule. This art, which blends Islamic architecture with Gothic architectural style, was very popular among Christians.

Work on the cathedral started in 1171 and was completed in 1257, when the Mudéjar bell tower (one of its most outstanding exterior features) was finished. This is a square based building and it is decorated with kaleidoscopic brickwork and colourful ceramic tiles, following the Mudéjar architecture style. The top is an octogonal roof lantern from the 17th century.

Lavishly decorated, the coffered ceiling in the interior of the cathedral is of remarkable artistic value. It is certainly one of the most beautiful historic buildings along The Way of El Cid. This glorious wooden ceiling, which is very well-preserved, is divided into panels depicting scenes from medieval life in Toledo. It mixes late Romanesque and Islamic styles, which makes it a unique piece of art. The wooden panels, which are 32 metres long and around 8 metres wide, were built in between 1270 and 1300.

Visits: Check opening hours at the Cathedral of Santa María de Mediavilla.

Rev. PAB 19.12.18